title: Tooth loss in Sri Lankan adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and correlates of tooth loss in Sri Lankan adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive cross sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Colombo district of Sri Lanka.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults aged 20 years and above.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected by means of an interviewer administered questionnaire and an oral examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of tooth loss was 81.6% while 1.9% of the sample was edentulous. The prevalence rates of tooth loss in the 20-39, 40-59 and ≥ 60-year-old were 71%, 93% and 96%, respectively, while 0%, 1.5% and 11.4% were edentulous in the three groups. Age (OR = 1.10; 95% CI = 1.08-1.11), having received 11 or more years of education (OR = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.15-0.97), use of fluoride toothpaste (OR = 0.44; 95% CI = 0.30-0.66), brushing frequency (OR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.43-0.89) and use of dental services (OR = 2.08; 95% CI = 1.12-3.84) were significantly associated with having more than 12 missing teeth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall prevalence of tooth loss is high among Sri Lankan adults.
authors.affiliation: Dental Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Roshnal
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perera
authors.forename: Lilani
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ekanayake
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005460:Fluorides, Topical / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005460:Fluorides, Topical